Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

There was a talk about Guerlain having found a way to reintroduce oakmoss in an IFRA compliant way, but I don't think I've heard anybody say that the current version manages to do that. Without that, vintage whatever is probably the way to go.

Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

I smelled the most recent version of Mitsouko last week in Fortnums. It was a pathetic cartoon of a once truly great fragrance. If you can get some vintage (the older version the better), then grab it.

Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

I thought that there was a recent version of Mitsouko that used treemoss instead of oakmoss, and that this is the bad one. Then, Guerlain was able to source some oakmoss that is IFRA compliant and the Mitsouko using this are much better.

Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

Thanks, rubegon. Here's a quote from that link for everyone's reference. It's just so sad.

My love for Mitsouko made me push the oakmoss supplier to get as close as possible to the original version without having the specific molecule which is not allowed by IFRA. I do have now a natural oakmoss which is IFRA approved.

Due to the IFRA regulations, there are some materials that I can’t even purchase anymore! Even if I wanted to make a reconstitution of a vintage Guerlain in the way it was originally created, I can’t find the raw materials! They are gone, the oil, the oil companies and growers are all long gone or discontinued.

You know, strictly for my own sake and education, I wanted to recompound Mitsouko, Shalimar, and L’Heure Bleue in their original forms but getting the raw materials required was not easy.

I went to Calabria and asked a supplier to provide me with the raw bergamot oil before any processing and I would able to recompound those classics. I also sourced some Musk Ambrette down in India. You have no idea of the amount of time, energy and patience it takes to track down practically non-existent raw materials and suppliers just to have them for my own use and knowledge to use in trials. These are ingredients that IFRA has deemed illegal for release to the general public, so even if I wanted to release a vintage version of a Guerlain fragrance, we cannot do so because of legislation.

Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

My most favorite version is older EdC from the 50s but it is very rare now (purplebird reviewed mine under Mitsouko in the Directory), with creamy peaches and soft moss. The second best is older extrait.

Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

One thing to keep in mind is that Mitsouko is one of the fragrances that does not age as well as some other vintage fumes. I try to buy the edp from the 60's - 80's, though truly today's edp is very fine.

Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

Actually, the extrait version is the only one I like - the others have a coumarin-type note that doesn't sit well with me. The extrait is the one which opened up everything devotees had been expressing.

Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

Originally Posted by Jubal

One thing to keep in mind is that Mitsouko is one of the fragrances that does not age as well as some other vintage fumes. I try to buy the edp from the 60's - 80's, though truly today's edp is very fine.

Yes, the current edp is still great; it is of excellent quality and still has an intense mossiness.

Re: What is your favorite version of Mitsouko?

I have said many times that Mitsouko is one of the few fragrances where I like every single version of it that I have smelled (well, except for that flanker Guerlain did, the Fleur one...which I have not smelled yet). The EdC, EdT, EdP and extrait (new and vintage) are all splendid. NOTE: Many Mitsouko that is vintage has turned slightly in the top notes so you have to be careful when buying on eBay.

If I had to pick one, it would be vintage Extrait. It has a green, medicinal, sharp intensity to it that sort of intensifies for quite a while before the peach/moss rushes in. For a few minutes it doesn't smell like a chypre or like itself...but some sort of poisonous, spiky, harsh smell. Which I love.

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